A Kirkcaldy man launched into a tirade of homophobic abuse against a parking attendant who had asked him to move a van from a bus stop.
Father-of-three William Cooper made the remarks during the incident in the town’s Dunnikier Road.
The 46-year-old appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit the charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Procurator fiscal depute Michael Robertson told the court the parking attendant had asked Cooper to remove a Transit van from a bus stop across the road from a fire station.
The fiscal depute said: “The accused refused to move the vehicle and replied: ‘No, because I am a bus’.”
Mr Robertson said Cooper was warned if he did not move the van he would receive a ticket.
A ticket was then placed on the windscreen after Cooper continued to sit in the vehicle.
Homophobic abuse
The fiscal depute said: “The accused got out the vehicle, grabbed the ticket, ripped it up and regrettably said towards the witness: ‘Do you want to take a picture of my c**k?'”
Mr Robertson said the parking attendant told Cooper, of Kirkcaldy’s Marion Street, everything was being recorded on his bodycam.
The fiscal said Cooper became threatening and moved face-to-face with the parking attendant and repeatedly uttered the phrase “you are a gay bum boy”.
When an associate of Cooper’s arrived and was seen to take items from the back of the van, Cooper said: “I have just been given a ticket by a gay boy”.
Police were contacted and viewed CCTV footage and identified Cooper as being responsible.
Fined
Sheriff Alison McKay said: “All Mr Cooper had to do was move on and did not have to verbally abuse this chap who was just doing his job.”
The sheriff told Cooper he had subjected his victim to a “tirade of abuse” and fined him £120.
Defence lawyer James McMackin said his client had no previous convictions and regretted his actions that day.
The solicitor said Cooper and the parking attendant were known to each other.
Cooper pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and making homophobic remarks on June 25 last year.
